Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/466

 168 campion's historie denyall ; You would not see him, say they, who made them so familiar with mine eye-sight ? or when was the Earle within my Equinas ? or who stood by when I let him slip, or where are the tokens of my willfull hood-winking ? Oh, but you sent him word to bewarre of you ; Who was the messenger ? where are the letters? convince my negative: See how loosely this idle reason hangeth, Desmond is not taken, well, we are in fault: why? because you are : who proves it ? no body. What conjectures ? so it seemeth. To whom ? to your enemies who tolde it them ? What other ground ? none. Will they sweare it ? they will sweare it. My Lords, then belike they know it, if they know it, either they have my hand to shew, or can bring forth the messenger, or were present at a conference, or privy to Des?nond ) or some body bewrayed it to them, or themselves were my carryers or vice-gerents therein, which of these parts will they choose, I know them too well to reckon my selfe convict by their bare words or headlesse heare- sayes, or franticke oathes, my letter were soone read, were any such writing extant, my servaunts and friends are ready to bee sifted. Of my cousin Desmond they may lye lewdly, since no man can heere well tell the contrary. Touching my selfe, I never noted in them either so much wit, or so much faith, that I could have staged upon their silence the life of a good hound, much lesse mine owne, I doubt not may it please your Honours to oppose them, how they came to knowledge of these matters which they are so ready